The invention relates to an adapter for connecting a fluid line to a housing portion of a turbomachine and a turbomachine.
A known adapter for connecting a fluid line to a housing section of a turbomachine such as a gas turbine and in particular an aircraft engine includes a core housing in which a fluid channel is formed for establishing fluid communication between the fluid line and a housing inlet. For fastening the adapter to the housing portion and the connection of a connecting element of the fluid line, an upper pair of flanges and a lower pair of flanges extend from the core housing which, relative to the channel axis, have the same orientation, and are thus arranged almost congruently one above the other. Due to the one-over-the-other arrangement of the pairs of flanges, a minimum distance between the pairs of flanges is required in order to position fasteners such as screws or nuts for securing the adapter to the housing or to connect the piping connection element to the adapter.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0150466 A1, an adapter for connection of a fluid line to a housing portion of a turbomachine is shown having a flange in the form of a bottom flange for fastening the adapter to the housing portion and a flange in the form of a top annular flange for attachment of a piping connection element. For the positioning of the fastener into feed-throughs of the flange, the flange plate and the annular flange are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the channel axis.
The object of the invention is to provide an adapter for connecting a fluid line to a housing section of a turbomachine, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks and has a reduced overall height. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to create a turbomachine with tightly or closely guided fluid lines along its housing.
An adapter according to the invention for connecting a fluid line to a housing section of a turbomachine has a core housing in which fluid communication is created between the fluid line and a housing inlet, and flanges, each having feed-throughs for passage of a fastener. According to the invention at least two flanges form a lower pair of flanges for securing the adapter to the housing portion and at least two flanges form an upper pair of flanges for connecting a fluid line connection piece to the adapter. The pairs of flanges are offset about the channel axis to one another and arranged in the direction of the channel axis with no spacing from one another. In addition, the feed-throughs of the upper pair of flanges are open circumferentially.
By the offset of the flange pairs about the channel axis and the rotation of the pairs of flanges to each other and the direct arrangement over each other or one going into the other, the adapter is distinguished from the other previously described adapters by a reduced overall height, as no space is required for positioning of the fastener or fastener part between the flanges. The required free space is created by lateral twisting of the lower flange pair. By the upper feed-throughs being open circumferentially, fasteners such as screws for connecting to the fluid line can be used at all times and in particular also retrospectively, meaning after the adapter has been secured to the housing section. Due to the small spacing of the upper pair of flanges from the housing section it then acts as a kind of limit on the loose fasteners before they are fitted. By subsequently inserting the screws and securing the axial position of the housing portion, the attachment of the adapter and in particular the connection of the fluid line are considerably simplified. An exemplary application of the adapter is a low-pressure turbine housing of an aircraft engine, wherein coolant is supplied to the low pressure turbine via an adapter. Of course, the adapter is also intended for the connection of different fluid lines, in particular of a housing of a turbomachine.
In a preferred embodiment, the pairs of flanges are offset or twisted by 90° to each other. This permits a highly reliable connection to be made with a minimum number of flanges.
Preferably, the pairs of flanges extend radially to the channel axis. By this action, the stability of the attachment of the adapter to the housing section and the connection of the pipe connection element of the adapter can be increased.
Preferably, the upper pair of flanges in the region of its lateral feed-throughs has lower stops to create a form-fit connection with a fastener part widened relative to a fastener shaft. The stops thus guard against twisting, so that despite the reduced overall height, mounting of the adapter can be done in a simpler fashion. A tool for holding the fastener is not required. In addition, the stops act as a guard to prevent accidental disengagement of the respective fasteners.
The stops may extend from the wall sections of the upper flange pair. Such stops are easy to execute. For example, they can be milled out of the upper flange pair.
To achieve a tilt-free support of the adapter on the housing section, it is advantageous if the lower pair of flanges protrude in the direction of the channel axis beyond an underside of the fluid channel comprising the core housing. This causes the core housing to be spaced from the housing portion in the mounted state and not form a contact surface, so that the adapter rests on the housing part only via the lower pair of flanges.
The orientation of the adapter to the housing section and the alignment of the piping connection element on the adapter can be simplified, if the feed-throughs are slots extending radially to the channel axis. At the same time, a tolerance compensation to the fastener drill holes in the housing section and in the piping connection element can be made via the slots.
Preferably, the fluid channel has a channel wall, which extends in the direction of the channel axis beyond the contact surfaces of the lower pair of flanges. In this way the fluid channel is introduced into the housing inlet, whereby leakage is avoided or the risk of leakage is reduced.
To reduce weight, the core housing may, with respect to the channel axis, have an upper annular recess and/or a lower ring-shaped recess.
A preferred turbomachine is provided with at least one adapter according to the invention, attached to a housing. In this way, a fluid line connected to the adapter can be guided closely along the housing. Preferably, the adapter is arranged on the housing of a low-pressure compressor and connected to a refrigerant pipe for supplying refrigerant to the low-pressure compressor.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to schematic illustrations.